Spirited Away: Always With Me
by JustAGirl111
Summary: After reliving the famous 'goodbye' scene in her dreams every night for 4 years, Chihiro makes some decisions that will change her life forever. But she isn't the only one who has to make a choice. What will happen, with Haku forced to do something he knows he doesn't want, and his best friend's life in danger if he refuses? -Ongoing- Artwork by Tannany, I do not own the picture
1. 1 - Look Back

Sun shining brightly, Chihiro stood in the wide open field. Grass began to sway as a cool wind blew through. Sadly, the beautiful setting did not match what the girl felt on the inside. Chihiro was once again about to go though the saddest goodbye of her life.

Sensing her saddened mood, Haku gave her hand a slight squeeze as he spoke.

"You'll be fine, just go back the way you came."

Despite his reassurance, Chihiro couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. What about Haku? What would happen when he returned to the bathhouse? Gaining up the courage, she asked.

"But what about you, what will you do?"

Haku smiled warmly. "Don't worry. I'm going to go back and have a talk with Yubaba. I'm finally going to quit being her apprentice."

Seeing her worried expression, he calmly added, "I'll be fine, I got my name back."

There was a slight pause. Haku looked like he had more to say, but wasn't sure whether he should say it.

"You saved me, Chihiro."

Her heart instantly warmed at hearing those words, but that sinking feeling still hadn't gone away. Chihiro had finally figured out why she felt so nervous.

"Haku," She barely hid the quiver in her voice, "Will we ever see each other again?"

He responded, speaking softly. "I know we will."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now run, and don't look back."

Believing his words, Chihiro let go of his hands and ran down the field, her purple hair-tie sparkling in the sun.

As she reached the stream that signified she was close to the entrance, everything around her faded to black.

* * *

><p><em>Chihiro sat up in her bed in a cold sweat.<em>

Realizing it was all a dream, she wiped her forehead and took a few deep breaths to collect her thoughts.

Chihiro wished she could go back to her dream and tell her younger self to look back. It had been the one thing Haku told her not to do. Nevertheless, she had always been curious.

_That's all over now,_ she thought to herself. _It's time to move on._

She glanced at her alarm clock and groaned. She was late. Very late.

As quickly as she could, she rolled out of bed, slid on her uniform, and tied her hair up with her now-iconic sparkly purple hair tie.

It had been 4 years now since she had received that hair band from Zeniba. She had told her to keep it with her always, that it was made from the true love of her friends, and that it would protect her. Sadly, no one told her that it would be the one thing she had left to remind her of where she knew she belonged; the Spirit World. Part of her knew 4 years ago that she wanted to stay in the Spirit World. She knew this, but she also knew that she had an entire life and family in the human world. Chihiro made that choice 4 years ago not thinking about her happiness, but those around her.

After looping her hair as tightly as she could, she ran out the room and down the stairs; surprising her parents. Mr. Ogino, reading the newspaper on the couch, gave a low chuckle to his wife in the kitchen.

"That daughter of ours," he said, "always oversleeping."

The two began to laugh when Mrs. Ogino remembered something, and called out to her daughter.

"Honey? Where are you going, you don't have school today!"

Already a house down from hers, Chihiro stumbled mid-step; confused.

_Today IS Monday, isn't it? _Then it dawned on her. She mentally chastised herself for forgetting something so important.

_You idiot, today's the first day of summer._

Now that it was summer, she only have a few weeks before leaving the city. Her father had gotten word from his boss that they would have to relocate to Okinawa. The Oginos all seemed very enthusiastic and excited for this 'adventure' awaiting them, and she honestly would have been too, if moving hadn't meant she would be further away from the Spirit World entrance.

_Further away from Hak—_

She stopped mid-thought. Her heart sunk at the image of Haku coming back for her and finding that she had left him. Would he think that she had forgotten about him? The thought was almost too much for Chihiro to comprehend. Not one day had passed in the last 4 years that she had not wished he would come and see her.

_But what if he never comes back for me?_

It had been so long since they had said goodbye. Maybe he had forgotten all about her and moved on with his life? Chihiro didn't know which scenario was more painful; him coming to see her but finding her gone, or him forgetting about her altogether.

Had it really been 4 years? She honestly didn't feel any different. The years since her visit to the Spirit World really flew by.

_I wonder what his life is like now. He's probably surrounded with people constantly, never short of a friend to talk to._

She compared that to what her life was like now. Lonely, boring, and sad. Haku truly was the best friend she'd never had, and she had to live without that friend for years.

_You moron, _she reprimanded, _he only saw you as some pitiful girl he helped out._ _There've probably been a dozen other better girls to be friends with since then. Just move on already_.

Chihiro thought of these things as she entered her house. She also thought about the dream she had had the night before. For years, she had the same dream, over and over again. She woke up for the first week thinking it would go away with time. But, after about a month, it slowly took its toll on her. It became the only thing she could focus on. Every night, she'd wake up, rethinking her choice to stay with her family. Had she done the right thing?

Where would her life have been if she had chosen differently? At that point Chihiro wondered this daily and continued for years, but always came to the same conclusion, She'd definitely be happier than she was now; alone in a school full of people and detached from her family at home, not belonging anywhere.

She decided to try something new. She would take a nap, go back to her dream, and choose the other path. As she laid her head down, she thought of one thing only, over and over in her head.

_Look back, Chihiro_, _look back._


	2. 2 - New Perspective

Opening her eyes, she felt herself in someplace new. Chihiro looked at her surroundings; the swaying grass, the shining sun. The wind brushed against her cheeks, causing a slight shiver. She was back.

This was the same dream, but something felt different. All the other times she had dreamt of this scene, she had always been looking at herself as a bystander, like someone watching a movie. Right now was the first time in 4 years she had actually been able to relive it, first-person. It no longer felt like she was just reliving a memory. She was there; just her and—

_Haku._

She looked to her left and saw him. The wind made his hair sway as he stared at the field ahead of them. Now that Chihiro was there as a 15 year old instead of an 11 year old, she recognized something in Haku's face that she hadn't noticed all those years ago; a sad glint to his sparkling green eyes, one of someone who was lonely. She knew this look, for she had that look every time she thought about Haku or the spirit world. Chihiro tried to convince herself that this was just a distortion in her dream.

She was still shocked that he was standing there, beside her. Chihiro wanted nothing more than to hug him and feel his warmth again. Just as she was tempted to do this, Haku turned to face her. The look in his eyes was gone; replaced with a distant, faraway look and a sad smile.

Chihiro knew exactly what the next thing out of his mouth would be.

"Run, and don't look back." He said, looking as supportive as he could.

_This is it, I can do this,_ she thought.

Chihiro took a step forward, then another. Her feet carried her all the way to the middle of the field, as she had done many times before.

_Come on, Chihiro_.

That's when it happened. She turned around and looked back.

Chihiro felt as if some lock had opened up inside of her that she never knew was there. She felt free to move about as she wanted, instead of just reliving the memory.

All those times she had pictured looking back, she never knew what she would find. Would Haku be standing there with a smile? Would he wave to her but still send her off? Or would he just be gone?

She didn't expect what she saw, not at all.

All signs of his sad smile had gone. His hand was still slightly outstretched from where she had held it just moments before, as if holding onto the moment for just a little while longer. But his eyes were the saddest of all. Those brilliant jade orbs had lost their luster, and had dulled to a dark stormy ocean green, almost reflecting his inner emotions.

Somehow Chihiro knew what would happen next. She ran. She ran for dear life, all the way back to where he stood. What happened next felt as natural to her as breathing. She grabbed Haku and held him close; as someone would grab a handful of sand, not wanting him to slip from her protective embrace.

Chihiro had imagined this happening many times before, but this time was different. She felt the rough texture of his apron, and felt his warmth underneath. She longed for these sensations for so long, and it hurt so badly, knowing it was only a dream.

She stifled a sob as she spoke, muffled into his apron.

"Haku…. I don't want to go…. I don't want to go…"

Before ever hearing his response, everything faded to black.

Opening her eyes to her bedroom, her eyes immediately went to the stuffed green dragon sitting beside her on the bed. She had gotten that dragon as a gift from her father. Believing it was a sign that Haku would come back for her soon, she set it on her bed so she could look at it every night until he finally returned. She carried that tradition on for 4 years, almost like a nightly prayer.

The one thing that she hated about the dragon was the color. Although it was green, it was the most annoying shade of lime green she had ever seen. It didn't at all capture the darkness and beauty of Haku in his dragon form; in fact, it was almost insulting. She loathed that sad replacement for Haku, for it made her miss him even more.

Chihiro sat in her bed for what seemed like hours, just staring at that pathetic toy. She thought about her dream, about finally hugging Haku. Startled, she eventually felt real tears slipping down her cheeks.

And that was when it all fell apart.

Thinking of Haku and that dream, she felt more alone at that moment than she had ever been in the past 4 years. Soon more tears and later sobbing began to fall on her. Clutching her dragon to her chest, she tried her hardest to replicate the warmth she felt hugging Haku. It didn't work.

Chihiro missed the Spirit World, and she missed it _badly. _She missed having an older sister like Rin, a grandpa like Kamaji, and a granny like Zeniba. She missed feeling as though she was loved. But more than anything, she missed having a friend as supportive and caring as Haku.

She always hated digging up the past, because all it did was reopen old wounds. Why _had_ she left?

Millions of thoughts whirled through her mind in a whirlwind. Eventually she thought about her parents.

Her father got relocated for his job so often that she was never sure where her real home was. At school, she would sit alone, always reading stories of fantasy and adventure in a land far away from her own. She'd then come home with marks on her report card, telling her she always had her "head in the clouds". Her parents would always scold her, but they knew they couldn't do anything about it. They knew they did this to their daughter, by making her abandon so many lives before.

But Chihiro never saw it that way; she was quite content being alone. At night, she would stare at the moon from her window, always dreaming of somewhere else. She imagined princes falling for her, long flowing dresses, magic and monsters alike; and she was happy. Sadly, her parents weren't. She was so caught up in her fantasies that her grade marks soon turned to C's and D's.

But after meeting Kamaji, Rin, Yubaba, Zeniba, and especially Haku, everything changed. She discovered what true happiness was. She felt as though she belonged somewhere, and that she didn't need to be alone or change herself to make others happy. More than anything, she discovered what it felt like to love. Chihiro loved every last frog and bathhouse worker she met in that world. That uneasy feeling she felt when Haku told her to run and not look back; she finally understood it. Her heart was pounding because she knew that the minute she got back to the human world, she would be alone again, and away from those she truly loved.

Haku promised to see her again. But that wasn't enough for Chihiro, especially not anymore.

As she sat there crying, a small voice in Chihiro's head spoke up.

_Maybe I really don't belong here anymore, _she contemplated. _I need to go back. _


	3. 3 - Happiness

**Hey everybody! This chapter is done from Haku's perspective. Now, before you guys skip ahead to the next chapter, please read this one. It will definitely be referenced further down the story, and I want to make sure you guys are in-the-know! ;) **

**Also, I wanted to bring up something. This story is the redone version of another story (written by me) titled Spirited Away: One Summer's Day. I had gotten to chapter 9 in the previous story, and it wasn't even finished. Sadly, my mother moved out of the country soon after posting it; and to be honest, I didn't have the drive to write anymore. Gomenasai. But now I'm back for good, you guys can't get rid of me now ;) I forgot the email associated with my other account (alwayswithme123) and so I decided to just start over. Some of you may still be suspicious of plaigerism, so feel free to bring it up with the 'alwayswithme123' account. I guarentee none of you will get a response, considering she's here now haha :3 **

**So, without further ado, here's the chapter. I hope you all enjoy. Please leave a review and follow, and maybe give some tips on what I can do to improve my writing!**

Haku's Viewpoint

Many things had changed in the bathhouse. Haku kept his promise to Chihiro and went to Yubaba immediately after she left; quitting on the spot.

Yubaba had been in a bad mood that day, making this the finishing blow to send her into a frenzy. At first, she assumed he was joking, but after Haku repeated himself several times, she was furious. Yubaba claimed it was all because of 'Sen'; calling her a sly, deceitful brat.

This sparked something in Haku. Hearing Yubaba blatantly slander Chihiro for no good reason worked him up. Without thinking, he mustered all the wind powers within him; using it to thrust himself down the length of the room. His target: That fat lady's neck. Before he could reach her, Yubaba caught on and froze him; mid-air.

Slowly circling the room, she began her rant; calling him a filthy gutter rat, cursing him for attempting to assault his own boss, and _firing _him from his current position as apprentice; claiming he was too dangerous. Ironic, considering the reason he wanted to talk to Yubaba in the first place.

From that moment onward, he was demoted to Chihiro's old position; cleaning the tubs.

4 Years Later

Haku had been scrubbing the big tub for hours. An Onion Spirit had come in earlier that day, and he unknowingly stunk up the entire batthouse. Now, late at night, the stench still wasn't gone.

_At this rate, I'll be here till morning_, he thought.

He went to grab for a bigger brush when he felt something tingling in his neck. Haku knew this 'tingle' could mean only one thing: Chihiro was revisiting of the memory again. After years of sensing every time she relived that scene, it soon began a habit of his to tune in and witness it again for himself. It broke his heart to see it continue for so long, but he just couldn't look away. It appeared as though the memory was just as painful for him as it was for her.

Taking a break, he set down his scrub-brushes and closed his eyes, stepping inside Chihiro's dream. He saw her standing there with the Haku from 4 years ago. Haku knew this scene so well; it was almost permanently engraved into his heart and soul.

He began watching and recognizing each movement either of them made; young Haku squeezing Chihiro's hand, her stepping slightly closer to him.

_And here is where I say—_

"Now run, and don't look back."

He wanted so badly to tell his younger self to shut up. Why did he say something like that?

_Because you knew that if she looked back, you would have run to her and told her to stay._

Silencing that voice in his head, he kept watching. Chihiro walked to the middle of the grass field.

_Now this is where she runs off, _he thought.

But she didn't. She stood there as if frozen. He did a double take as she slowly turned her head and looked behind her.

_No way… she looked back?! _

His heart began to race. Chihiro then burst into a sprint. Picking up speed, she soon made it all the way back to where young Haku stood.

_There's no way this is happening._

His heart was pounding so fast, he didn't know what was going on.

Staring at young Haku for a moment, Chihiro wasted no time as she threw her arms around him in a protective embrace.

This shattered Haku's heart, yet that heart still continued to pound.

Haku didn't know what he was doing until it was already done. Waving his hand and casting a quick spell, he switched himself for the young Haku in the memory.

There he stood, enveloped in Chihiro's embrace for the first time in 4 years. It had been so long since he had this had happened last; he wanted to remember this feeling for as long as he could. Chihiro's face nuzzled into his apron, she began to sob.

"Haku, I don't want to go home… I don't want to go…" As she said this, a fit of wailing came over her.

If only she could have seen his face; eyes misty and closed, mouth in a slight frown.

_Chihiro..._

What could he say? What could he do to make her stop crying; to take her pain away? This scene broke his heart almost as much as it was breaking hers. God, how he missed her.

Suddenly, the world around him began to fade black. The dream was about to end. The previously crying Chihiro was now frozen; tears and all.

_She must be awake already, _he thought. But there was something he had to say.

"I don't want you to go, either…" he whispered to the frozen Chihiro, with a sad smile.

Opening his eyes, he stood in the big tub, completely shaken. What had just happened? Why did the scene change? Did Chihiro know it was the real him? He wished so badly he could see what she was thinking or doing right now.

Oh, how much he missed his best friend. All his life, he had always tried his best to never get attached to another person, out of his cowardice for not wanting to get hurt. But it was different with Chihiro. He knew she would never hurt him; it just wasn't in her being. She was pure good. In all his years of living, he had never seen someone so blindly generous or charismatic. Chihiro had gone all the way to Swamp Bottom, with _train tickets, _for someone so cold hearted as himself. No one had ever risked so much for his sake. It changed him.

_And I was the one who sent her away, _he thought as he remembered telling Chihiro to 'run and not to look back'.

He wished he had thought it through more. When he told her, he hadn't realized he was sending away perhaps the best thing to ever happen to him in his life. No, not 'perhaps', she _was _the best thing to happen to his life, because she was the one to give his life _back_ to him in the first place.

_But it was what she wanted, _he retorted. _She wanted to be with her family again. Stop being so selfish; get a hold of yourself._

This put an end to all of his other woes. She chose what she chose, 4 years ago, and there was no changing it. But, God, did it hurt.

He remembered one more memory. After Chihiro had given back his name, his dragon form had shattered. They plunged downward, both of them crying out of happiness. This was the first and only time he had ever allowed himself to cry in front of another person.

Haku had finally discovered who he truly was, and Chihiro had been the one to give him that freedom. He recalled both of their tears flying upward as they fell, the droplets intermingling and their hands intertwined as they flew across the ocean.

As he thought about the memory, there was a pang in his heart. He remembered thinking to himself, back then, that he never wanted to be apart from this girl; his best friend. It was the happiest he had ever been.

_And now I'm here_, he thought. _Lonely, while scrubbing a tub that smells like onions._

He wondered what her life was like, in the human world. Did she have other friends? Was she happy? Or was she just as alone as he was? Haku couldn't decide which scene made him feel worse. He wanted, more than anything, for Chihiro to be happy. Seeing her so emotional in that dream proved that to him. If she were happy with other friends, than he wished her the best.

He sighed.

_No, you don't, you selfish bastard. You want her to be happy; here, in the Spirit World, with you. _

Haku wanted to crawl inside his own head and punch the voice who said that. Yes, maybe he did want Chihiro to stay. But he wanted Chihiro's happiness even more.

By then, he was too emotionally drained to continue cleaning the tub. Putting away his brushes with a conflicted grunt, Haku turned in for the night.


	4. 4 - Cutting the Ties

Chihiro woke up that day with a clean conscience and a happy heart.

As she got herself out of bed, she looked to her toy dragon as she always did, and her heart sunk to her stomach. She remembered what she decided she would do today.

_Don't think like that, _she thought. _This has to happen. It's a good thing. I don't belong here anymore. _

How heartbroken would her parents be? They'd assume she hated them, for sure. Which was obviously wrong, she thought to herself. She loved her parents and she knew her parents loved her too. She just couldn't continue this constant cycle of loneliness and more loneliness anymore. She had to go home.

Chihiro just didn't want her parents to be upset. She'd be gone before they knew what had happened, of course, but the thought of her mom crying in her father's shoulder was almost too much to bear.

But surely, her parents would want her to be happy, right? They'll understand eventually. At least, that's what Chihiro hoped.

This thinking wasn't good for her. She knew she'd have to get out of there as soon as possible, or she'd chicken out.

Almost as if it were a sign, she looked in her closet and found her classic white-and-green striped shirt, and her pink shorts. Maybe it wasn't necessary, but she thought wearing those clothes might boost her initiative and morale.

_Wow,_ _I really do look different from how I did 4 years ago, _she thought as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her shirt looked slightly tighter in her chest area, and her body gave her the look of a young woman, not a child. Her curves had finally started to show; her waist small, but still at a healthy weight.

Walking to her bathroom, she was about to put her hair up when a thought struck her; today was the day she was starting her life over in the Spirit World, and she wanted to do something to signify this drastic change. She had cut her hair by herself for years, since money was never in abundance at the Ogino household. Chihiro saw the scissors next to her sink.

Chihiro recalled how her hair had those choppy bangs 4 years ago. It looked cute; since her hair was almost always up in a hair tie. It gave her an innocent sort of look.

_He_y, _why not, _she chuckled to herself. Portioning her hair so a large portion of it was in her face, she picked up her scissors and made the first cut. Chihiro gasped as a chunk fell to the floor.

_This is really happening, isn't it? _She thought in excitement.

Snip after snip, more hair began to fall to the floor; her bangs becoming more prominent. She cut at an upward angle at the ends of her bangs, giving them a softer, less harsh line. She left some long side-bangs to frame her face. Chihiro looked in the mirror with satisfaction at what she had done.

Reaching towards the floor, she picked up a chunk of fallen hair. If ever in the future she doubted her choice, she would remember what she did today. This hair was a promise to herself; a promise to live life with no regrets.

Tying her hair up in Zeniba's hair tie, she felt as though everything would be ok. It would be painful, leaving her parents, but she knew she was doing what would make her happy.

Sadly, that feeling of happiness left her the second she stepped downstairs; replaced by a feeling of dread and guilt.

Her mom stood there, humming in the kitchen. Her father was on his old leather chair, just as he was every morning; reading the paper. Chihiro saw how perfectly content they looked, living their simple and pleasant lives. She felt guilty, not being happy living that same simple life.

_Remember the hair, Chihiro, remember the hair._ She repeated to herself.

Mrs. Ogino caught sight of her daughter standing on the stairs.

"Good morning, sweetie!" her mother said as she beamed her always-warm smile at her daughter.

Mrs. Ogino's eyes widened when she saw her freshly-cut hair.

"My goodness, did you cut your hair this morning? It looks beautiful this way." She paused for a moment. "You've grown up so much, Chi."

"Thanks, mama." Chihiro said, giving her mom a hug.

Glancing at the chair her father was sitting in, her mother called out to him.

"Toru, come to the kitchen; look at your beautiful daughter!" she said with a slight chuckle.

Setting down the newspaper and walking to the kitchen, he stopped when he saw his daughter. He slowly walked over to his wife and stood beside her. With a sigh, he spoke.

"Azumi, I think our little girl is growing up too quickly for us to keep up with." They both chuckled.

_Aaaand here comes the guilt. _

_"_I know, isn't she gorgeous? I remember her being so small, and now look; she's a woman." Her mom said with a slightly sad tone.

Chihiro spoke up.

"Thanks mom. And don't worry, dad, I've still got a bit of growing left in me." She said, trying to hide any hint of sadness she felt.

Her mom suddenly had a look on her face, like she just remembered something.

"That reminds me, honey, can you run to the market and pick up some ingredients? I need them for tonight's stew."

_This is my chance. _

"Mm-hm. Write down a list, I'll head out in a few minutes."

Her mother smiled. "Thank you, dear."

Chihiro decided to go to her room until she left. She quickly wrote down a note, telling her parents not to worry, and that she would be back someday to visit. Chihiro kept the note as vague as possible, only saying that she was 'going somewhere she knew she had to be'. A few tears began to trickle down her cheeks, falling on her note. Signing her name, she set the paper on her pillow, where she knew her parents would find it eventually.

Just as she was about to leave her room for the last time, her toy dragon caught her eye. Instead of the sight of the dragon giving her anxiety, it gave her hope. No longer would she need to look at its disgusting shade of lime green. She'd soon see the beautiful ocean green mane herself.

Giving the dragon a smile, she closed the door to her room with a slight 'thud'. As she neared the bottom of the stairs, she heard her mother call from the kitchen.

"Oh, Chi, there you are! I've got the list for you." She said, handing Chihiro the small paper.

"Alright, I'll be back soon." Chihiro said, barely hiding the slight quiver in her voice.

Maybe it was strange, but she had to do one more thing before she left.

Her mother had already returned to the kitchen, but that didn't stop Chihiro. She walked up to her, and gave the biggest hug she had ever given. Mrs. Ogino reciprocated the hug, slightly puzzled at this sudden expression of affection from her daughter. Nevertheless, she didn't object. She missed having her sweet, loving little girl. Chihiro really had grown up.

Saying goodbye to her mom once more, Chihiro entered the living room. Her father had now switched to watching television. Standing in front of him, she gave him the same hug she had given her mother; except this one meant more to her. Chihiro had always been that iconic "daddy's little girl". After every one of their moves to a new city, she recalled crying many times in her father's shoulder, and having his strong arms protect her from any harm. In a way, her dad was her best friend until she met Haku. Hugging her father like this brought tears to her eyes, and she silently willed them to stay in her eyes so her father didn't see.

Mr. Ogino was even more puzzled than Chihiro's mother, but didn't object for the same reasons she hadn't.

"See you later, Chi." He said with a smile.

At this point her tears were really threatening to spill over.

Waving to both her mother and her father, she stepped out the door. Her tears were close to falling out, but Chihiro just wouldn't let them fall. She would not cry over something she knew she had to do.

_Come on, Chihiro, get it together, _she thought. _Nobody said it was going to be easy._

With that, she began her journey to the tunnel that led to the Spirit World. Some tears made their appearance and began to fall, but Chihiro always put an end to it quickly.

It was somewhat funny; she wasn't really sure how to get there. But, as she continued onwards, it seemed as though something in her brain had finally clicked; she remembered every step of the way. It was as if her brain had a GPS set to 'home'.

She subconsciously reached her hand in her pocket. Feeling the hair she had picked up, she knew she was doing the right thing.

Her feet carried her down every road until she reached that red tunnel. She stood outside its entrance and felt the familiar breeze almost pull her in.

Chihiro's heart nearly skipped a beat as she thought of what her new life would be like, inside the Spirit World. Who would she see first? How many things have changed? Would they remember her?

Surely, her parents would approve of what she was doing, if they only knew of the happiness she felt in that very moment; mere feet away from beginning her new life.

Chihiro sighed, staring down the tunnel. She whispered three words to herself as she took her first step inside.

"I'm coming home."


	5. 5 - Old Friends

Chihiro took one step, and then another. She walked all the way down the tunnel, keeping rhythm with the sound of her echoing feet.

She stopped immediately when she entered the giant church-like room with the stained glass windows. Something about it used to be spooky to her 4 years ago. But now, at 15, there was an unspoken beauty to it.

It was peaceful. The colored light that shone down from the glass was very familiar to her. Chihiro recalled holding her father's arm as they had walked though the room. But somehow, the entire room had a different feeling now that she was alone.

Continuing onwards, she inhaled quickly when she saw where she was now.

_The field._

The same field that haunted her every time she laid her head on her pillow. For some reason, she expected it to look different, but it was still exactly the same as it had always been.

She began to walk.

Chihiro could see a mirage of her and Haku, saying their last goodbyes. 4 years later, after reliving it thousands of times in her dreams, she knew every line, every movement.

_It's so strange, _she thought. _It's been 4 years, but being here now, it almost feels as though it's only been a day._

Her heart felt different than she thought it would be. She had expected it to be racing, but she couldn't find any excitement there at all. She was entirely calm; no anxiety, no fear. It felt natural.

Climbing the steps that led to the shops and merchants square, she saw the stand where her parents had turned into pigs. And there, on top of the center table, stood piles upon piles of exotic, wondrous smelling food. Although it looked delicious, it was certainly not enough to tempt Chihiro after what had happened before. In fact, the very sight of the food made her want to burst out laughing.

It was still mid-afternoon, so the lights wouldn't change for quite a while yet. She took her time walking to the bridge of the bathhouse; her mind caught in a reverie.

Now standing on the bridge, she half expected to see a young boy with striking emerald eyes staring at her, asking what she was doing there, telling her to get out.

Something in her head finally clicked.

_Wait a minute, is Haku even still working here?!_ She thought in urgency, recalling that she told him to quit being Yubaba's apprentice. Chihiro wanted to punch herself for only now remembering this.

_Nevermind, _she thought. _I came this far, and I am not turning back, no matter what. If he isn't here, I'll find him. _She said this to herself with determination.

As she walked down the bridge, she noticed something frightening. The tips of her shoes were becoming transparent.

Her eyes widened.

_I'm… disappearing?!_

God, how stupid was she? You'd think after going through this once before, she'd remember. She burst into a sprint; to where, she didn't know.

_I'll go to Kamaji's, Maybe he'll have some spare soot food!_

She was glad nobody had seen her. Chihiro knew that if anyone spotted her, they'd have questioned her; taking up precious time before she'd disappear completely.

Chihiro came to the wooden stairs that led to the boiler room. As a younger girl, she used to be terrified of falling to her doom. Sadly, that was the one thing that hadn't changed since that time. She thought she might as well get it over with; picking up speed, she skipped every other step on her way down. Unable to slow down, she slammed her nose into the thick cement wall.

Rubbing her nose, she gave a huff of laughter; she had done the exact same thing 4 years ago.

_Some things never change. _She thought.

Looking at her hands, she saw that they were fading quickly. Chihiro could now put her entire hand through her chest.

Locating the old metal door that led to the boilers, she entered; welcomed by a blast of hot air. Not even thinking of what she was doing, she darted inside the main boiler. Seeing an old man grinding spices in the center of the room, she turned to him.

"KAMAJI, no time to explain, I need food and I need it NOW." She yelled.

Startled by the random girl's sudden entrance, he looked suspicious.

Though Kamaji didn't recognize the girl, he quickly threw to her what appeared to be a small berry. Eating it without hesitation, her limbs regained their color.

"Thanks, Kamaji." Chihiro said, completely forgetting that it had been 4 years since they'd seen one another.

There was dead silence. The old man spoke up.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

She paused.

"Hi, Grandpa…" Chihiro said, with cheeky smile.

More silence. Suddenly, his eyes widened as if seeing a ghost. Kamaji straightened his glasses, making sure he was seeing things correctly.

"Chi-Chihiro?!" He said in disbelief, forgetting his herbs; standing up with a jolt. All of his supplies crashed to the floor. Chihiro, being the caring person she was, immediately dropped to the floor to pick them up.

She stood up, about to respond, when she felt 6 arms wrap around her; making the herbs and spices drop once more.

Kamaji was hugging her. Chihiro was at first startled, but soon hugged him back. Her eyes began watering; she hadn't realized how much she missed Kamaji in particular. Without him, she wouldn't have gotten a job in the bathhouse. She wouldn't have met Rin, Yubaba, Zeniba, and everyone else. None of this would have happened were it not for Kamaji.

"I'm back…" She whispered in the middle of the hug. Kamaji let go of her, getting a good look at his now older granddaughter.

"Just look at you! You're blooming into a beautiful woman!" he said with his toothy grin. Suddenly gasping, he continued.

"Oh my, just wait until Haku sees you! Oh goodness, and Rin! She'll be here any minute to feed the soot! Have a seat until she gets here, and tell me how you've been!" He looked the most excited Chihiro had ever seen him.

Chihiro could barely contain herself as she told him she was staying for good. Expecting a good response from Kamaji, his sudden look of worry came as a shock to her.

"But what about your parents? Your friends? Oh, Chihiro… have you really thought this through?" He said, totally exasperated.

His reaction saddened her. She had truly expected her adopted grandfather to be happy she was back for good. She knew what she had to say.

"Kamaji… my family is here now. I've thought this through every day for 4 long years…and I'm staying." She said, getting teary eyed. Chihiro continued.

"I tried so hard to live a normal life after I left the Spirit World. I tried meeting new friends… I got involved at school. Nothing worked. I just never had a connection with anyone since I left." Her tears began to fall on her cheeks, one by one.

"My family recently got word that we'll be leaving the city in a matter of weeks, forever. I would never see any of you guys again. This had to have been a sign, right?" she said with a slight hint of desperation. "I don't belong there any more, Kamaji. Please don't turn me away."

Kamaji now saw the pain she had felt all these years. Suddenly overwhelmed with guilt, he spoke up.

"I'm so sorry, Chihiro. I didn't mean to make you feel as though you weren't wanted. In fact, all of us here have missed you beyond words…even Yubaba. She yells at us daily telling us to work 'more like Sen'." He said with a low chuckle. "If you're ok with it, I personally would be overjoyed if you stayed for good!"Kamaji said with a grin, giving the girl another hug.

Almost as if on cue, a tall brunette woman slid open the wooden panel and entered. Chihiro knew right away who she was.

_Rin. _

Rin, not seeing Chihiro standing there, yelled at Kamaji.

"How many times have I told you to put your dishes outside the door?!" she said, taking his old plates and replacing them with tonight's dinner.

Kamaji was stifling laughter. Chihiro was standing _right there_, and it was as if she were invisible to Rin.

Chihiro, too, was stifling laughter. These had been the first words she had heard out of Rin's mouth when she first met her. How long, she wondered, would it take her to realize who else was in the room?

Rin turned around to feed the soot, but was surprised to see a mysterious girl standing there. Wait, no, that was no mysterious girl….

"SEN?!" she shouted, mouth spread in a grin. She let out a girlish screech before running over to her friend, catching her off guard with a bear hug. Both of them fell to the floor, laughing like little girls.

"I'm BAAA-aaaack!" Chihiro said in a sing-song voice. Rin was like a sister to her, she had missed her so incredibly much.

Rin gasped with excitement.

"For good this time?!" she said hopefully.

Chihiro giggled. Giving her a smile, she nodded. Once again, Rin let out her girly shriek and hugged her again, pushing her to the floor once more. Chihiro laughed the hardest she had laughed in a long time.

"This'll be fantastic," Rin said while laughing, "You can tell me all about your world! All your friends, all the boys who are madly in love with you, all your—" Chihiro's thoughts blocked her from listening to what Rin was saying.

_So this must be what it feels like, to finally belong somewhere. _She thought to herself, knowing she had made the right choice in coming back.

Both of them getting up from the floor, Rin asked Kamaji, "Has Haku seen her yet? She looks so beautiful now, he'd probably start drooling." She said with a goofy smile and a wink. Chihiro felt her cheeks get pink at the thought.

This sent Kamaji cackling. "Aww, don't tease the girl, Rin."

Chihiro remembered something. "So, Haku is still working here?"

"Not only is he working here, he's working in your old position!" Rin said, in stitches from laughter. "I swear, the first time I saw him scrubbing the big tub was the funniest moment of my life!"

Chihiro began to laugh. But Rin wasn't finished. "I still remember the day he quit being Yubaba's apprentice; it was right after you had left. He marched straight up to her office and quit on the spot. I don't really know what happened in there, to be honest, there were rumors all over the bathhouse the next day. Apparently, Yubaba said something she shouldn't have, and Haku tried to attack her."

This worried Chihiro.

_Haku, attacking someone? He would never._

"Haku isn't that type of person…" she said solemnly.

Rin agreed. "I know, right? I still wonder, to this day, what she said to get him so worked up. Anyways, ever since that day, he's been working the tubs."

At that moment a knock was heard that the sliding wooden panel. Aogeru, the frog worker, entered the room.

"What is it, Aogeru?" Kamaji asked with concern.

He hopped up, right to where Chihiro stood. He looked her straight in the eye.

"Yubaba requests that you come to her office immediately, she has some things she would like to discuss with you." The frog said this in a blank, emotionless tone.

You could feel the air turn into concrete as he said those words. Both Kamaji, Rin AND Chihiro were concerned over what Yubaba wanted from her.

The frog hopped away, leaving the three others standing in an awkward silence. Suddenly, Rin turned to Chihiro with a sudden urgency.

"Chihiro, no matter what… Get a job. Don't let her send you off. You can't leave again, please." Rin said with desperation. She continued.

"If you can't do it for me, do it for Haku. The last 4 years you were gone, he hasn't been the same as before. He misses you more than all of us combined, Chi."

_Chi? Only mom has ever called me that… and Haku missed me?_

"I will," she promised. "I'll get a job in the bathhouse, I swear it."

Rin gave her a long, affectionate hug. "Good, than meet me in the women's quarters later tonight. We have a lot to catch up on." She said with a wink.

And with that, Rin closed the wood panel and was gone. Chihiro gave Kamaji one last hug, promising she'd be back soon; this time, with a contract.

"Good luck!" Kamaji said, giving her a 'thumbs up'.

She slid the wood panel closed behind her, this time without bumping her head.

"Here we go…" she breathed to herself.


	6. 6 - Concealed Feelings

Exiting the boiler room and stepping inside the bathhouse, everything looked different than it had as a young child. Having grown at least half a foot since then, she could now see everything eye-to-eye. It was much less scary.

Chihiro recognized a few of the spirits as she walked to the elevator; the Radish Spirit being one of them. She waved to him, and from across the room you could see him wave his gigantic radish arm in her direction; greeting her. Bringing a smile to Chihiro's face, she kept walking.

As she neared the elevator, she walked past a group of the female bathhouse workers. They began whispering and gossiping behind her back.

"Is that Sen?"

"No way, that couldn't be. She looks so old now!"

"Just smell her! She smells exactly the same!"

"Oh god, not the smell. She'll stink up the whole place again!"

"I wonder if Haku-sama knows she's here yet. He'd probably have a heart attack. You know how much he missed her…"

This sent the two yunas into a fit of giggles, and Chihiro felt her heart leap to her throat. Haku had actually… missed her? Probably not very much, but the very thought of it made her insides suddenly feel warm and fuzzy.

She'd see her best friend again...it could be hours, and it could be minutes. Chihiro didn't know when, but all she knew was that she was seeing him, and seeing him _today_. The thought sent her heart into a fit of fluttering.

Now inside the elevator, she pulled the lever; shooting the wooden cubical upward. Chihiro was tempted to press her nose to the sides, wanting to catch a glimpse at the ground escaping beneath her.

Remembering Rin's old threat of her nose being ripped off, she thought better of it.

_The top floor, huh?_

The elevator began to slow down; eventually halting at the top floor.

Her heart beat quickened. What did Yubaba want from her? How did Yubaba know she was there, so soon after she had arrived?

She silently prayed that whatever Yubaba wanted, it would end well, and not with Chihiro's head cut off.

Chihiro recalled every turn to Yubaba's office.

_And a left here, _she thought. This brought her to the magnificent door which led to her fate. Just as she was about to reach for the handle, a raspy, shrill yet familiar voice insulted her.

"After all these years, still not going to knock?"

Chihiro whirled around to see where the voice had come from. She saw nothing.

"Still just as rude as before, I see." The voice barked.

She turned around and recognized the raspy voice as the doorknocker that stood there 4 years before. The metallic figure rolled its eyes as it opened the door with a creek.

Suddenly, she heard a familiarly sarcastic voice booming at her from some unknown source.

"Ah, look who finally decided to show up! Sen, please, come in. I think there's someone here who would like to see you."

Before Chihiro knew what was happening, she felt an invisible hand come and grab her shirt, yanking her all the way down the long corridor that led to Yubaba's desk.

Every bump and curve was another whack in her side. This wretched hand pulled her through very turn, and she could feel the gravity pulling at her. Her head had begun to spin, when she suddenly felt herself being flung to the floor; landing right on her head.

Rubbing her head as she groggily stood up, she saw she was right in the center of Yubaba's office.

The fat old woman snorted with a smirk, adding, "What an elegant and graceful entry, Chihiro. We're so glad you could join us."

Chihiro, having regained her balance, took a look at her surroundings. She remembered the long tapestries that hung on the walls; and every desk and shelf was filled with magical trinkets as far as the eye could see. Everything appeared to be the same, except there was someone else in the room…

She felt her entire body go numb as she saw who was standing beside the gigantic old witch.

There, stood a boy who appeared to be about Chihiro's age. His ocean green hair cut off at his shoulders. His blue and white apron covered what appeared to be an immaculately toned body, and he was quite tall. But what Chihiro stared at the longest were his eyes. Those emerald eyes that shone like the real gemstones themselves. They were the very eyes that had an ability to calm her, just by thinking about them; no matter what situation. She knew those eyes, and she definitely knew who they belonged to.

_Haku._

Chihiro's eyes widened, her mouth gaped open in shock. She had not expected her old friend to be in the room with her, standing mere feet away.

Apparently, he was just as surprised as she was, because Haku had a look of surprise on his face as well.

Time stood still for the two of them.

It was always said that the eyes were the window to the soul. Both pairs of eyes were frozen in shock; they could now see all the pain and loneliness the other had felt through the 4 years without each other. Chihiro always knew that Haku's eyes changed their shade, depending on his mood. His eyes, as of right now, switched from the saddest of blues to the brightest and happiest shades of green.

And then he smiled. He smiled the brightest, most genuine of smiles Chihiro had ever seen appear on his face.

This, of course, brought an even brighter smile to her face.

All of the pain; all of the tears she had shed in coming here, every last bit of it had suddenly become worth it. _This _was why she was here, she thought. She was here to see her best friend's smile.

And Haku, having wondered what she was feeling only a day earlier, could see his answer staring at him in the face. Her brown eyes were soft and bright, almost delicate. As if a single look would shatter them. She was just as sad and alone as he was these past 4 years, it seemed.

They both simultaneously took several steps towards each other. Chihiro, wanting to embrace her dear friend again, suddenly felt the room began to swirl. She staggered, losing her balance. The impact on her head from being thrown into the room was finally taking its toll on her.

Her legs crumpled beneath her, but she didn't care. Chihiro was happy; so impossibly happy that she could cry. She knew, now that she had seen Haku, that she never wanted to be anywhere else other than the Spirit World, and that would never change.

Before collapsing entirely, she felt someone catch her fall. She couldn't see who, but she had one guess.

Chihiro was immobile, but she felt as if she were walking on air. She whispered two words before losing consciousness in her dear old friend's arms.

"I'm back…" she said, closing her eyes.

Haku

Haku stood there with Chihiro in his arms. She had quite the impact when she crashed in here, he thought.

He just couldn't stop looking at her. Chihiro had looked so much older when she came in, but as she lay in his arms unconscious, she looked just as she had 4 years ago.

How was she here right now? What on earth was happening? So many thoughts were running through his head, he couldn't think straight.

Her head rolled to the side in his arms, and something purple and sparkly caught his eye.

It was the hair band that Zeniba had given her. He remembered Chihiro telling him about it before they had said goodbye, as they walked to the field. The memory made him smile.

"Ahem," Yubaba lightly coughed.

Whirling around, Haku had forgotten that they were standing in Yubaba's office. His cheeks flushed, realizing he had been staring at Chihiro for the past minute.

"Forgot I was here, did you, Haku?" Yubaba said with a devilish laugh. "You were so focused on Chihiro here, I was almost afraid to speak up. You guys stared at each other with such _passion. _Ahh, young love," She said sarcastically. Now she was really pushing Haku's buttons, and that's exactly what she had wanted to do.

_It isn't like that, you know it isn't. Let it go, Haku._

Breathing in and exhaling all of his anger, he spoke up.

"I'm going to get some food from the kitchens for Chihiro. We don't know if she's eaten yet, and she may begin to disappear at any moment." He said, setting the unconscious Chihiro on the couch in the corner of the room.

Yubaba only nodded. She didn't want an angry Haku on his hands if anything happened to the girl.

Haku exited the room with a lot on his mind. Closing the door, he leaned against it, feeling lightheaded himself. The best friend he had missed for 4 years, the one who saved his life and taught him what it felt like to care for another being, that very person… was at the other end of this door. His heart began to pound.

He would never deny it, he loved Chihiro.

People like Rin and Kamaji had told him time and time again that he was 'smitten' for her, but Haku really wasn't sure in which way he loved her.

His life changed forever when he met Chihiro, that's for sure. She was beautiful, inside and out. Chihiro was, to him, so much more than a best friend. Chihiro was everything to him. But was it a romantic attraction? He had never in his life been able to say that he was in love, and he wasn't sure if he was now, either. Plus, even if he was in love with Chihiro…

_She'd never love someone like me._

He thought about her mortal body, how someone like her would eventually grow old and die. The thought stung the deepest parts of his heart, but it was true. She would die, and he would live on.

He was approaching his 136th birthday. This was still adolescent in the Spirit World, but Chihiro was only 15. It just wouldn't be right, he thought.

But, none of that mattered right now. He was just happy she was here, right now. If he did love her in the way Rin and Kamaji say, he would never dare tell Chihiro.

Haku remembered telling Yubaba that he was getting food for Chihiro. Waking up from his inner thoughts, he hurried to the kitchens in a hastened pace.


	7. 7 - A Deal With the Devil

**Hello everyone! Here we are at almost 289 views... wowza guys, That's fantastic! I'm taken aback by how sweet you guys are. Lets see if we can break 300 by tomorrow morning ;) **

**Please, if you're enjoying the story, follow it and leave a review. The next 2 or 3 chapters will be uploaded in a week. I'm trying to find a good system of when to upload... and I'm thinking of uploading 2 chapters every Sunday. I'm open to suggestion, though, so please let me know when you'd like to see more chapters and how often. **

**Anyways, thanks so much for all of your support! I'll be introducing some new characters soon, and the plot after this chapter is about to get a little bit more complicated *diabolical laughter* mwahahaha :3 Without further ado, here's chapter 7. 3**

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><p>When she opened her eyes, she briefly found herself back inside her old room. Chihiro could have sworn she saw her mother standing the corner, and the sight filled her heart with warmth.<p>

After blinking several times, she saw that the woman was not her mother, but Yubaba, staring very intently at her.

"Ahh, and Sleeping Beauty finally awakens. Nice job, getting your smell all over my office." Yubaba said, giving the girl a dirty look.

Looking at her surroundings, she saw that she was wrapped in a blanket on Yubaba's couch. She finally remembered what had happened, and who had caught her when she fell.

Her eyes darted around the room, looking for her friend. Seeing her look of dismay, Yubaba looked up at her. She gave a sneer. "If you're looking for your dragon, he told me he was going to get some food for you. He wasn't sure if you had eaten anything yet in this world, and we wouldn't want you disappearing again, now would we?"

Chihiro made a mental note to thank him for catching her earlier. She also thought she had better get to the point with Yubaba as soon as possible; she didn't want to stay in that office any longer than she had to. It gave her the creeps. "Yubaba, is there any way I can get a job here again?"

Yubaba thought for a moment. The look on her face said she was skeptical. "How do I know that you won't just leave again like before?" She paused, and then gave a howl of laughter. "If you're trying to pull something like that again, you can forget it."

Her skepticism and hesitance didn't deter Chihiro. "This time will be different, Yubaba, I can promise that." She paused. "I've closed the chapter of my life in the human world, and I'm staying here."

The severe look on Yubaba's face dulled into a blank expression.

"Although I hate to admit it, no one in this bathhouse ever worked as hard as you did. If you are actually staying here for good, I may have actual use for you here." She paused and gave a sigh. "I'll give you a job, but it'll be different than the job you had before. And If I hear one little complaint out of you, I'll skin you alive and fry the shreds as chips for the guests."

Completely ignoring that open ended threat, Chihiro smiled and nodded quickly. Yubaba looked almost disgusted at her joyous expression. "HEY!" She said loudly. "Don't go thinking that this is me going soft, alright?! I wouldn't be doing this with any old worker, you know."

Chihiro was so happy, she felt she could express her gratitude, Yubaba waved her hand. A paper in the center of her desk floated softly into Chihiro's hands, along with a quill.

"You know the drill," Yubaba said. "Sign your name, and I'll put you to work."

Wasting no time, she quickly signed her name in the same spot she had 4 years ago. She also wrote her name on her arm, so she wouldn't forget it, no matter what.

She wondered in silence what her new job would be. Eventually, curiosity got the better of her.

"Yubaba, what kind of work will I be doing?"

Yubaba smiled wickedly at this, adding a hint of nervousness to Chihiro's happy mood.

"Well, you see, after you left, Haku stormed into my office and quit being my apprentice," She paused, glancing at Chihiro. "He did all of my dirty work, and he did it well. As you could probably guess, I was very upset that he was now leaving me," she said while trying to hide the smirk on her face. Yubaba wondered if Chihiro had caught on to what she was thinking. Chihiro eagerly listened, expecting Yubaba to tell her that she needed her to find Yubaba a new apprentice. Clearing her throat, Yubaba continued.

"For the past 4 years, I've had to do all of these tasks and errands myself. But, I now find myself in dire need of a new apprentice."

Chihiro felt the air escape her lungs as she heard what Yubaba said next.

"And that apprentice will be you, Sen."

Haku had arrived at the office moments before, carrying plates of food for Chihiro. Hearing that she and Yubaba were deep in conversation, he thought it'd be wise to wait outside the door and not to interrupt.

After waiting long enough, curiosity got the better of him. He focused all of his dragon senses into listening, and put his ear up to the door, hearing their conversation. He heard Yubaba speaking first.

" -I am now in dire need of an apprentice."

Haku didn't like the way this conversation was going. What on earth were they talking about in there? He continued listening.

"And that apprentice will be you, Sen."

He nearly dropped the food in his hands. Haku must have been hearing incorrectly, right? He certainly hoped so.

_Chihiro, as Yubaba's apprentice?! Yubaba KNOWS she won't be able to handle that kind of work!_

Frozen in shock, he came to his senses.

_I need to stop this. I've got to get in there!_

He slammed into the door, much to the surprise of the doorknocker. Haku hadn't realized how much strength he had used; the huge wooden door was now cracked at its hinges. He burst into the room.

The sight he saw was not a pretty one. Yubaba's wicked smile was several inches from Chihiro's face, and Chihiro looked as though she was either about to burst into tears or pass out again. Both women startled by his sudden intrusion, they turned their heads in unison to look at him.

Without thinking, he ran to the center of the room, his shouts directed towards Yubaba.

"Yubaba, you _know_ Chihiro isn't capable of those types of jobs. She's a girl, not a slave!"  
>His eyes turned dark, like an ocean on the verge of a storm.<p>

Before Chihiro could speak up, Yubaba responded.

"Her name is _Sen _now, dragon-boy," the old woman retorted, showing Haku her new contract. "And she's not a girl anymore. 4 years have passed, Haku, and she's grown up." Before finishing, she narrowed her eyes at him; her tone changing. "You can't protect her forever, Haku, you know this."

That last statement struck a chord with Haku. He recalled as they held hands on the field 4 years ago, about to say their goodbye, he secretly passed along a seal of protection from his hand to hers, guaranteeing her safety throughout her life. Had Yubaba somehow known this? He promised himself to bring that up with the old hag later. There were more pressing matters to attend to.

"She'll be killed if you give her this job, you know that! Why are you sacrificing such a hard worker for something you know she can't do?!" A wind without origin began to swirl around Haku, rustling his hair. He hadn't been this angry in several decades. His eyes were almost black, filled with his fury.

This spectacle only made Yubaba more furious. Chihiro, on the other hand, was surprised that he cared so much for her wellbeing. She had never seen him more furious, and it both frightened her and touched her. Nevertheless, she knew something had to be done.

"I'll do it." She said sternly, looking at both Haku and Yubaba.

You could hear a pin drop as the two angry figures whirled their heads to look at Chihiro. Haku was about to demand that Chihiro was given another job, but now, seeing her calm confidence, changed his mind.

He could finally see now that Chihiro was no longer the little girl who fell in his river. Haku looked at her now as the strong, independent, beautiful woman that she truly was. In that moment, all of his anger dissipated as he gained a new level of respect for her.

Yubaba, too, was shocked. Although Yubaba knew that Sen had grown older, she had never expected her to be accepting of this new job. Maybe she just didn't know what she was getting herself into.

Hearing the prominent silence in the room, Yubaba finally spoke up.

"See, dragon-boy?" She piped. "She's a big girl now."

Haku pondered the pros over the cons of this situation for a moment. He could think of only one thing that might make it easier for Chihiro.

"Fine, but you'll be letting me assist her on any out-of-bathhouse jobs." He said. If Yubaba agreed to his conditions, he'd allow it.

Yubaba, at this point, was irritated that they had been in her office for so long. She was ready to agree with anything, if those brats would just leave her alone. Getting impatient, she nearly yelled at them.

"FINE, just shut up and get out of my office. Sen, you'll be starting here tomorrow morning."

Haku's eyes transformed back into their brilliantly bright jade orbs, and Chihiro exhaled in relief. Before any of them could respond, however, both of them felt invisible arms grab them, dragging them both out of the office. Hearing the door slam behind them, they felt the mood change.

Both of them staring at the floor, none of them knew what to say. The air felt thicker, and Chihiro suddenly felt as if she was trying to breathe underwater. They remained in silence for several moments. Chihiro had so much to say to Haku, yet the words just wouldn't come out.

She was beginning to feel worried. Chihiro was too afraid to make eye contact with him. All she knew was that this silence was torture for her, and she wanted to get out of it as soon as possible.

_Oh God, _Chihiro thought. _Why isn't he saying anything?! Why am I not saying anything?!_

She began to feel disappointed. Maybe he didn't want her back in the Spirit World. Or, perhaps, maybe he had already found a new friend to take her place.

Chihiro quickly stole a glance to her side, to see what Haku as doing. Apparently he had the same idea, because she saw his eyes staring directly at hers. She quickly turned her gaze back to the floor.

She was now filled with panic. Why was he looking at her so intently? What's going through his head right now? Why was this situation so awkward?

_Maybe I'm too late, _She thought. _Maybe so much time has passed that all we'll ever be around each other is awkward. _The thought made her heart sink.

Chihiro suddenly remembered that Rin had wanted her to meet her in the women's quarters once she had gotten a contract. She decided to use this as an excuse to escape this situation.

She was nervous. Her hands were shaking, and she was so terrified to open her mouth that she was surprised she even had a voice at all. Chihiro had already taken the first step towards the elevator when she spoke.

"H-haku, I have to go see Rin…" She stammered out in a hushed voice.

Chihiro had just turned to leave when she felt her wrist being grabbed and pulled back. Haku reached out and held her, pulling her into a warm embrace.

Her heart was already pounding, and this sent her into havoc. He spoke in a calm, almost dreamlike voice.

"I missed you, Chihiro."

She felt all of the anxiety and worry flush out of her. Whenever Chihiro imagined them being reunited, she always pictured herself being the one to say 'I missed you'. Never, _never _had she imagined it being the other way around. Tears began to well in her eyes, and Chihiro silently wished she could stay like this forever.

"I…I missed you too." She said as a small teardrop made its appearance on Chihiro's cheek.

He was so warm. She felt his heart beating against hers, showing her that this was no longer some unattainable dream. Here she was, finally in a place where she knew she belonged, with the best friend she knew she belonged with.

They separated immediately after hearing womanly voice behind them.

"Awwwwww!" Rin said exaggeratedly, wishing she had a camera. She had come up there with a plate of food; she must have been about to deliver it to Yubaba. "Sorry to interrupt, guys, I know you must have a lot to catch up on," she said with a giggle, "But, Sen, we have to get your apron ready for tomorrow."

_Of all the times to show up, _Chihiro grumbled in her head.

Chihiro quickly turned to Haku. His face was different from his usual stern, emotionless expression. His mouth was upturned into a light smile; his eyes sparkling as bright as she had ever seen them.

She had so much more to say, but she didn't have the time.

"I'll see you later, Haku." She said with the most genuine smile she had felt in years. He waved in response as Rin pulled Chihiro away with her.

As he saw her being dragged away by Rin, he was the happiest he had felt in ages. Haku had so many questions flooding his head.

_Did I really just tell her I missed her? _

He recalled the awkward silence as they had stood alone, too overwhelmed to say anything. Although he hadn't meant to say it out loud, he finally told her what he had wanted to tell her for years. He missed her, and now she was back.

Without him knowing, a smile cracked through his features as he thought of her staying here permanently. It's as though the 4 years had suddenly evaporated, and all that mattered was here and now.

Haku still had thousands of questions without answers, like _why_ she was here, but he was so happy, he didn't care enough to answer them. All he knew was that he would be there for Chihiro and protect her, no matter what.


	8. 8 - Moonlight Lamentations

**Hey everyone! Last night, I posted 2 chapters with a challenge for you guys to get to 300 views by morning. And guess what? I woke up this morning with 368 views! You guys are fantastic! So, as a little thank you, I'm posting an extra chapter this week. Please be sure to read this one, Haku's backstory is in this chapter, and I don't think you guys will be disappointed ;) this chapter was actually a little emotional for me to write, you guys may discover why as you continue to read on. Anyway, I'll be posting several more chapters in a week or so. As always, follow the story, leave a review and favorite! Thanks everyone!**

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><p>Now in the girls' quarters, only the two women were present. On their way, Rin had grabbed their dinner from the kitchens, deciding to take her break early.<p>

Rin immediately objected after finding out that Chihiro would be taking Haku's old position of apprentice.

"Sen, you don't have to do this! You'll get yourself killed!" Rin said with serious worry for her friend. Just like Haku, Rin also felt it was her job to protect her. She didn't like Chihiro being where she knew she couldn't help her.

This display only made Chihiro smile. "Don't worry about me so much, Yubaba says that if there are any jobs that require me to leave the batthouse, Haku would be coming with me. I'll be fine." She said with a smile.

The thought of dragon boy going with Chihiro made Rin get a slightly mischievous smile on her face.

_All that time alone, huh?_ Rin thought with a chuckle. She was so happy that Chihiro was back; not just for her sake, But Haku's. Every day since she had left, Haku would spend his days alone, scrubbing tubs, barely talking, avoiding contact with mostly everyone.

Rin decided to change the subject.

"Ok, girl-talk time. Tell me everything about your world. What are your friends like? OH, and the boys, what are the boys like?!" Rin said excitedly.

Chihiro didn't know what to say. The truth is, she didn't have any friends _at all_, let alone a boyfriend. She answered truthfully.

"Nah, I don't really like anyone in my world." She said straightforwardly. This got Rin excited.

"Oh, so you've still got the hots for that dragon, right?" Rin said before bursting into laughter.

"Absolutely not! We're just friends, seriously." Chihiro said, suddenly embarrassed and bashful.

And that was the truth.

She remembered the day that Kamaji said that it was 'true love' that saved Haku's life. Chihiro was confused the first time she heard this, but with time, she began to understand what those words truly meant. She loved Haku; that was for sure. In which way she loved him was what she still didn't know.

Chihiro was brought out of her thoughts by Rin laughing with her dinner in her mouth. "HA! As if I believe that. Ever since you left," she took another bite of her meat bun, "that boy has been sulking every day. That hug outside Yubaba's office was the first sign I've seen in the past 4 years that he even _has_ a heart."

_She must be messing with me, _she thought. _Haku didn't miss me that badly. _

They ate in silence for a few more minutes; legs hanging off the balcony overlooking the ocean. The picturesque moon shone down upon the sea, every ripple glistening. Chihiro had never realized just how beautiful it was.

She was so distracted by the scene before her that she nearly jumped when Rin spoke.

"Alright, its lights off for you, Sen, you've got a big day tomorrow." Rin said, trying to hide how nervous she was for the girl. "Try and get some rest."

A bell rang throughout the bathhouse, signifying the end of everyone's shift. Several moments later, workers began to pile into the women's quarters. They were all getting ready for bed.

Everyone else had fallen asleep, but Chihiro was having a difficult time calming down.

_I wonder what my parents must think, _she thought to herself. She'd been missing for hours.

_They must have called the police by now. I wonder how long they'll search for me before they give up._

An image of her mother crying and her father worried suddenly popped into her head, immediately filling her with dread and guilt. Chihiro hated to admit it, but she missed her parents.

But, being there in the Spirit World was everything she had ever wanted, so why couldn't she just let them go?

She thought of all the different times she had moved to new cities, how both of her parents worked overtime just to put her into the best schools they could manage. All they wanted was for her to be happy. Chihiro was happy now, but she couldn't stop feeling as though she had betrayed her family in the process.

Chihiro subconsciously reached her hand into her pocket, locating the lock of hair she had put there earlier that morning. She had hoped it would reassure her that what she was doing was the right thing, but it wasn't working.

At this rate, she would never be able to sleep if she didn't think this through. What she needed right now was to be alone and sort through her thoughts. Eventually, she decided to go out to the garden.

As quietly as she could, Chihiro stood up from her futon and exited the room, trying her best not to wake any of the workers.

She knew every step to the garden. Remembering how Haku had led her there after seeing her parents in the pig pen, that garden held a special place in her heart.

Chihiro saw the exact spot where Haku had given her rice cakes, and let her cry over how scared she was. She had felt so comforted when he put his hand on her shoulder; it made her feel as if she weren't alone anymore.

Caught in her reverie, she hadn't noticed that someone was already standing there.

"Couldn't sleep?" Haku said calmly. He didn't seem very surprised that she was there.

Her heart began to pound. How long had he been standing there? Did she interrupt something?

"I'm so sorry, Haku! I didn't see you out here; I hope I didn't interrupt anything. I'll go find somewhere else." She said, beginning to turn back towards the bathhouse.

"No, no, don't go! This is where I go to think, too." He said, motioning for her to sit down.

She walked over to where he sat. After sitting, she shared her thoughts on the garden. "It's so funny. I remember sitting in this exact place 4 years ago with you. It somehow doesn't feel real, that I'm actually back." She said, almost in a dreamlike state.

He agreed with her. "I know. Ever since the day I took you here, I would come back to this garden every time I had a lot on my mind." He paused, looking at her. "Which reminds me, why exactly _are_ you back?"

Chihiro explained to him how she had dreamt of her leaving the Spirit World every day for years, and how the dreams haunted her. She spoke of how after waking up hundreds of times with tears running down her face, she had to get away. She skipped the part where she changed the ending of her dream; she felt that might be awkward for Haku to hear.

Haku sat there and listened, finally getting answers to so many of his questions. She _was _in pain not being in the Spirit World, just as he was in pain not having her there.

Eventually, Chihiro's voice began to shake as she brought up leaving her parents, the note she had written, and finally saying goodbye.

After Chihiro told most of her story, she paused; her face suddenly clouded with sadness. As she spoke, her voice changed from lighthearted to heart broken.

"I miss them." She said, voice quivering, staring at the floor. Haku could tell how much pain she was in, but he dared not overstep his boundaries by putting his hand on her shoulder.

_That didn't stop you back then, _he thought.

Suddenly, Chihiro looked up and saw who she was talking to. She had almost forgotten that Haku was there, listening to every word as she bore her soul to him.

"I'm sorry," She said quickly, "I didn't mean to say so much…" She said, suddenly embarrassed.

This made Haku smile. He liked that she was so open with him. So much had happened in the past 4 years that he wasn't even aware of, and he was elated to know that she still trusted him enough to tell him everything.

"Don't be sorry, you've been through a lot. I understand how you feel about your parents; I went through a similar situation with my parents as well." He felt that now that she had shared her life story with him, he should return the favor.

"I was born in a sea-faring nation, named Piscanem. My father was a very powerful dragon spirit who worked as a Magistrate; my mother, a beautiful singer at the time. My parents and I lived in a palace as a very wealthy and powerful family," he said, looking at the now-curious Chihiro, who was listening to every word.

"I loved my father very much. He was so strong and well respected, always seeking justice and defending those who couldn't defend themselves. I spent most of my life in training to become his successor. Every night I would look at the moon and hope that one day; I could be just like him."

Chihiro smiled at the thought of a little Haku running around beside his father. Her smile made him warm inside. With a sigh, he continued.

"One day, my father was helping me train in combat," He continued. "I had finally gotten very skilled at my sword, and my father congratulated me," he said, smiling at the memory. He was so invested into the story; he had almost forgotten Chihiro was there.

"He told me how proud he was of me, and said that someday I would be a better swordsman than he was." He smiled to himself, obviously reliving the memory.

"The next day, a criminal broke into our house, drunk and furious. He had murdered a girl in town who refused to marry him, and my father had ordered several weeks previously that he should be locked up for the rest of his life." Chihiro could see his eyes darken in the moonlight as he continued.

"We were training late that night inside the gym. The drunken criminal burst into the room, his blade in hand, his eyes set on my father, whose back was turned against him. He saw nothing, yet I saw everything." He said, flinching. "I saw the blade go straight through his chest, yet I was too weak to move a muscle in defense. I could have saved him." Haku paused, angry at himself.

"I unsheathed my sword and killed the man who killed my father, but by then, it was too late. Days, weeks, years later; I blamed myself for my father's death. My mother, too overcome with grief from the loss of her husband, killed herself."

Haku was obviously getting upset. Chihiro, seeing her best friend suffering, unknowingly put her hand on his shoulder. Her touch made his tension dissipate. Haku took a deep breath before continuing.

"I had thought, back then, that I was to blame for it all. I was a monster. I didn't want to be the reason for so much pain anymore, and so I ran from my home as fast as I could, until I found the bathhouse. Yubaba took me in, gave me a contract, and I began my new life. Although I had escaped my problem, I continued to feel guilty until one day; I awoke from a dream where my father told me that it was ok. He told me he was proud of me, that he loved me, and that he never blamed me. He told me it was time to move on."

He turned to Chihiro, looking her straight in the eyes. "None of this is your fault, Chihiro. I know the pain you're feeling all too well, but don't make the same mistake I did." Chihiro's eyes began to water as he finished. " Don't spend your life focusing on the 'what ifs". The past is in the past, and you don't need to burden yourself with it anymore."

This was too much for Chihiro. Her eyes filled with water to the brim, until one by one, tears began to fall. Then came the sobbing. Haku, knowing her pain, put his arm around her, letting her lean her head on his chest.

He wished he could have been there in the human world to help her deal with all of her sorrow. In a way, he blamed himself. If only he had known 4 years ago what pain she would be feeling today… he wouldn't have let her leave so easily.

For a long while, both of them sat there, staring at the moon, until Chihiro spoke up.

"Haku," she said softly, "Thank you for telling me. I can only imagine how painful that was to relive, I'm sorry for making you do that." He looked at her in shock.

"Don't be sorry. Chihiro, it all happened 50 years ago. Time has healed my wounds, but yours are still fresh. I said what I said because you needed to hear it." He said seriously. Haku waited a moment. "I haven't told anyone that story. Everyone assumes I just showed up mysteriously, and I'm honestly glad that someone knows now. I'm even happier knowing that that someone is you." He said, both of them smiling at each other.

Chihiro's eyelids began to feel heavy. Tonight was an emotional night, and it had taken its toll on her. Seeing her begin to nod off, Haku walked her back to her quarters.

"Thank you for everything, Haku." Chihiro said outside her door with a yawn.

"Thanks for everything, too," He responded with sincerity. "Tomorrow's your first day, try to get some rest. Meet me right here tomorrow, we have our first job in the morning."

Chihiro was too tired to do anything else but nod. Shutting the door, she walked to her futon carefully. Having relieved her heart of so many things troubling her, she fell into a dreamless sleep almost in an instant.


	9. 9 - A Twist of Fates

**AUTHOR'S NOTE~ Sorry, everyone, for the unexpected break in my writing! I could explain my reasons, but honestly, I should have tried harder to find time to write. I apologize. I will try to be more frequent with my updates. Anyways, thank you again for all of my supporters. More to come soon, I promise. Without further ado, here is Chapter 9, ****A twist of fates!**** Please favorite and follow, and leave a review if you can!**

Chihiro awoke to a pounding on the wooden entryway. She sat up immediately, taking note that the entire room was empty of all yunas. The sun was shining brightly, which could only mean one thing; she had overslept.

"—Chihiro?" She heard a male voice inquire.

_Crap… that must be Haku!_ She thought, suddenly embarrassed.

"Sorry, Haku!" She said semi-groggily. "I overslept!"

You could almost feel Haku rolling his eyes from outside the room. "No kidding. Hurry up and put on your apron, you are _not _starting your first day of work _late_." He hollered, sounding vaguely like Chihiro's mother.

With no time to spare, she snatched her apron from the side of her futon. Slipping the rough cotton over her skin, she took a moment to look herself through in the mirror.

The skin under her eyes, she noticed, was still puffy from the night before. But, something else about her image made her wonder.

Years before, when trying on her old uniform for the first time, she had looked like she was wearing a pillow case. She had no curves, she was short; and more than _anything_, she was scrawny. But much like the day before when trying on her white and green shirt with pink shorts, she noticed just how much she had grown. She had a waist now; a tiny one, at that. Her hips were noticeable, but not protruding awkwardly like many other girls in her class. Chihiro felt like she had definitely changed over the years.

Taking slightly too young to marvel at the wonder of time and its many changes, she heard Haku yell again through the door.

"Jeez, I'm coming!" She countered, walking briskly to the door. Opening it, she saw Haku in his classic uniform, which was similar to hers; only white and teal. He stood there with an impatient look on his face, and he tried his best not to take notice of her puffy, emotional eyes, which were obviously remnants of the night before.

"Finally," He groaned, obviously at the end of his rope. "If you were any later, I might have slammed your door down." He said a little bit too seriously.

Shaking off his remark, she followed him through the bathhouse to the elevators. Pulling the outdoor lever, Haku let her step in front of him into the shuttle.

After pulling the lever to the right, just as Chihiro remembered, they stood in silence. Chihiro felt a certain awkwardness after remembering what had taken place night before. Haku had opened himself up completely to her, yet she could find no words to accurately portray her feelings. Haku, feeling the same way, finally spoke up; locking his gaze to a nonspecific point on the wall.

"Chihiro… were you able to sleep at all after talking in the garden?" He said hesitantly. The truth is, he worried about his friend for hours after saying goodnight. He had wanted more than anything to know that she was ok.

This question helped break the ice for Chihiro.

_Haku is… worried about me? _She thought, avoiding the sudden warm sensation in her belly.

"I slept very well." She paused, trying to think of the right words to say. No words she could muster were enough to tell him how thankful she was.

"Haku?" She asked, finally getting the courage she needed.

Now that she had his attention, she continued. "Thank you again for saying all the things you did. I needed it." Chihiro said, looking at him from the corner of her eye. Chihiro knew if she made eye contact, she would freeze up and be unable to give her thanks. But, Chihiro also felt she had to apologize. "I'm sorry," She added, "I really don't know what had gotten into me. I promise, I'm not normally that emotional." Chihiro added, the shade of her cheeks revealing her embarrassment.

You could see the effect this had on Haku. He was much less tense; able to look at Chihiro normally without any sense of hesitation.

"No—I should be thanking you," He said politely. "I somehow felt at peace, being able to come clean about my back story," Haku paused, "Out of everyone I know, you were definitely the one I trusted the most with it. It was simply coincidental that it had applied to your as well." He said, suddenly yet subtly bashful. But, he wasn't finished. "And please, don't apologize. Even the strongest out of us deserve to cry."

Once again, Haku had said the perfect thing to make Chihiro tear up.

_Even the strongest out of us deserve to cry._ She repeated internally. This phrase, as cliché as it may sound, hit home for her. She had always tried her best to be strong, and as a result, despised every time she had broken down. Chihiro had thought it made her look weak, but Haku seemed to think differently.

By then the elevator had finally reached the top floor. The two wasted no time getting to Yubaba's office. Before either of them could open the gigantic wooden entrance, it swung open on its own. A bodiless voice boomed as if right in front of them.

"FINALLY. One minute and twenty three more seconds more, and you two would have been late. I trust I won't need to tell you what will happen if I ever find you two late, will I?" Yubaba's voice boomed. Unknowingly, both Haku and Chihiro's bodies tensed.

Without response, the two walked down the hall that led to Yubaba's office. Years ago, something like this would have terrified poor Chihiro. But, having Haku by her side somehow made all of this fear vanish. She once again noted how much she enjoyed having him by her side again.

Now in the office, the pair immediately saw Yubaba at her desk, obviously surrounded with important papers.

Trying his best not to interrupt or provoke her anger, Haku spoke. "Yubaba, what is our task for today?" He said. Yubaba glared at both of them seriously.

"Both of you better listen up." Yubaba began, strolling silently around the room. "My niece is coming to town, and she will be staying here, in the bathhouse. Her name is Akane Kimiko, and she belongs to one of the most wealthy and influential families in the Spirit World."

Something in the way she spoke struck Chihiro with the slightest tinge of fear. Yubaba sensed this, but continued. "I need you two to accompany her around the bathhouse, and serve her for the duration of her visit." The next words out of her mouth were directed towards both of them. "I want you both to take heed that if any of her needs is not met and _exceeded, _I will make your death a painful one." Yubaba said, singling her glare at only Chihiro. This sent a wave of fear through her, shaking her to the bones.

Chihiro, still filled with concealed fear, had only one question. "How long will she be staying?" She muttered this, trying to hide her hesitance.

Yubaba stared at her, with an almost defeated expression on her wrinkly face. "That is the one thing I don't know, Sen." This was the first comment Chihiro had heard from Yubaba that wasn't coated with sarcasm and malice, which somehow frightened Chihiro even more.

In the meanwhile, Haku stood next to Chihiro; his inner cogs moving, trying to figure out how all of this would work out. His silence puzzled Chihiro.

Before any of them could respond, Yubaba continued. "Sen, go with Rin down to the lobby and begin preparations for Akane's arrival. She should be here within the hour." Yubaba motioned for her to leave. "And you, Haku, stay behind. There's one more thing I'd like to bring up with you."

Chihiro had no idea what was going on, but quickly exited the room. This left only Haku and the old woman inside the office.

"Have a seat, boy." Yubaba said, not attempting to hide the hint of malice in her voice.

Haku looked at her questioningly. "Is there something else you needed?"

"Haku," Yubaba said slowly. "Take heed of my words. There is one more thing I need to tell you about Akane."

Yubaba's seriousness put Haku on edge. He had been at this bathhouse for years, but never had the old woman taken on this tone. He listened.

"She has expressed interest in you, specifically. You two shall be married within the year."


	10. 10 - New Feelings, Part 1

The world seemed to drop from under Haku's feet. He had to take a moment to make sure he had heard the woman correctly.

_I'm… getting married? To Akane? _ He had heard of people having arranged marriages before, but never had he imagined he would be part of one himself.

_No… this can't be. _

It seemed absolutely preposterous. He didn't even know the girl, for God's sake. How could he be expected to marry her? What about Chihiro? If he were married, what would become of her?

He pictured Chihiro, standing alone, cleaning the big tubs. He played that image in his mind on loop, and it broke his heart. Something seemed very wrong.

Her face. She looked so alone, so without purpose.

_If I'm off and married… that means Chihiro will be here, all alone, _he answered himself. Haku stood there remembering the lonely look she had on her face, sobbing in the garden the night before. In the 4 years he had spent without her, he had looked just like his imaginary Chihiro; alone, without purpose.

When he saw her again, he decided then and there that he would never spend another moment without her by his side. Certainly, he didn't mean to _marry_ Chihiro, but he knew that if he were to be married to another woman, he would be forced to move in with that woman's family. He couldn't do that to himself, it would surely break his heart.

In a moment's notice, Haku knew what he had to do.

"Absolutely not, Yubaba. I don't care who that girl is, but I will _not_ marry her." Haku said, as serious as if someone had punched him in the face. Instead of having a desired effect on Yubaba, she was sent into a wave of cackling.

"—HA-HA-HA, I thought you might say that, you glorified lizard." She said, showing off her fiercest grin. "Allow me to elaborate further. If you do _not_ marry my niece, Haku, I will strike your human down faster than you can say 'I do'. Are we at an understanding?" She sneered.

This open threat towards Chihiro infuriated Haku beyond words. His eyes quickly changed their shade from their sparkling jade, to a cloudy, steely grey. When Haku spoke, his voice took on a new tone. It was dark, like the very essence of fury itself.

"How DARE you bring Chihiro into this." He growled. "You know just as well as I do that she has _nothing to do with this._ I suggest you reconsider." He said, subtly reciprocating a threat.

A wind began to howl throughout the room, making Haku's hair begin to sway.

If Yubaba were frightened at all, she certainly didn't show it. Unlike the response most people would have, she only guffawed harder.

"Oh, come on, dragon. We both know your bark is bigger than your bite." She challenged, trying to provoke Haku to take the first swing. Haku knew that the minute he tried to attack, he would find Chihiro dead somewhere in the bathhouse. He forced himself to calm down, despite how happy he would be to rip out Yubaba's throat.

His eyes finally returned to their normal shade, the wind without a source finally stilling itself. Yubaba noticed this and sneered.

"Good, glad to see you came to your senses," She added sarcastically, "But still, I am not budging from my previous ultimatum. Either you marry Akane, or your precious 'Chihiro' will perish." Yubaba concluded, without a hint of guilt in her voice.

This surprised even Haku. He hadn't realized that Yubaba was capable of something so cruel. He bit his tongue, trying to suppress another remark, when suddenly an urgent pounding was heard on the door to the office.

A rough manly voice that could only be one of the frog workers spoke with urgency.

"Yubaba, I'm sorry to interrupt. Akane's carriage was spotted about 15 minutes away from the entrance!" This new information immediately ended any train of thought coming from both Yubaba and Haku.

The old woman turned to Haku sharply. "Get Sen, and report to the lobby _immediately. _Instruct her on proper etiquette towards royalty… we wouldn't want that brat making a mess, now would we?" Yubaba sneered, amused at Haku's sudden silence.

Haku paused, choosing his next words wisely.

"We'll continue this later." He said, not attempting to hide his frustration. Yubaba laughed again.

"I'm sure we will, Haku." She smirked.

He closed the office door to find Chihiro standing outside, in the hall. She appeared to be deep in thought. Hopefully, she hadn't heard what Yubaba and him had said. But, for now, all Haku knew was that they had to get downstairs immediately.

"Chihiro?" He said quietly. This snapped her out of whatever she was thinking, and she surprised Haku with one of her smiles.

_Thank goodness, _he thought. _That smile means she didn't hear a thing. _Without words, the two of them made their way downstairs. Just before they had reached the lobby, Chihiro spoke.

"Haku, what did Yubaba need?" She asked innocently.

_That must have been what she was thinking about. She's worried, _he pondered silently. Haku knew it would be best to not say a word about it now, it would only send Chihiro into a frenzy of panic.

"Nothing," He lied. "She just stressed how important it was that we not offend Ms. Akane." Even this was enough to make Chihiro worry, as proved by her skin suddenly turning 3 shades whiter.

"Don't worry." He added with a slight chuckle. "Just follow my lead, and don't speak unless spoken two. Do those things, and you'll be fine."

"You promise?" She meekly commented.

"I promise." He returned.

This brief exchange of promises brought both of them back to the day of their goodbye, where Haku had sworn to come meet Chihiro again.

Each of them knew what the other was thinking, because the two of them stared at each other a little longer than what would have been normal. As they stared, pain was shared, but also joy. Joy at the opportunity for a new set of promises. Promises that will hopefully remain unbroken this time, now that Chihiro was back.

They were both thinking the same exact thing when Rin suddenly popped up behind them, making both Haku and Chihiro snap out of their reverie.

"Woah, guys. Don't stare at each other like that, you're worrying me." She said, only partially joking. At this, both of them separated eye contact immediately; both of them embarrassed.

Suddenly, Haku remembered exactly what it was they were about to do.

"Chihiro—we've got to get downstairs. Akane will be here any second." He said. Chihiro curtly nodded, and like that, they were set at a brisk pace to the lobby. When they entered, they were rewarded with a true spectacle, one Chihiro definitely would not forget for a very long time.

All along the sides of the room were the workers of the bathhouse, all with their faces flattened to the floor, all bowing with respect to a supposed princess who hadn't even arrived yet. With their hands placed in front of them, there lay treasures that made even Haku's jaw drop momentarily.

Chihiro noted the assorted foods: strange cooked animals that she had never seen before, puddings, pies, huge platters of wondrous smelling baked goods, and delicacies that not even Chihiro could guess as to what they were. All of these arranged as an offering to their soon to arrive guest. Then, Chihiro saw, were the jewels. In some of the workers' hands lay strings of pearls, emeralds, rubies; all shining to the point of nearly blinding anyone who dared to stare just a tad too long.

Chihiro was so used to this place being a madhouse, with people yelling right and left, but here, she felt, all of the workers had one mutual goal; to please Ms. Akane. The room was filled something Chihiro couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't so much fear as it was a mix of anxiety, terror, and respect.

Before she could think any longer, Haku grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Somehow he had known exactly what she was thinking. He held onto her hand, walking to the place where they would wait until they were needed. And not a moment too soon, either.

At that exact moment, a line of musicians began to pile into the room, each with their own unique instrument; none of which were recognized by Chihiro. They stopped in the corner of the room, where they began to play. The song wasn't very fast, but loud and bold. The closest thing Chihiro could compare it to was the music someone might play during a coronation, one that instigated a feeling of importance, but joy at the same time.

By now, all of the workers had stopped bustling about and had returned to their positions. A horse drawn carriage was slowly pulled to a stop directly outside the bathhouse entrance. All noise had ceased.

No one could have guessed that the woman who stepped out of the carriage would be the most beautiful girl any of them had ever laid eyes on.

She couldn't have been much older than Chihiro, because they had similar body types. Her small frame was draped head to toe in wealthy garments. Her dress was of the most vibrant shade of red, with golden detailing. The sparkling gold swirls seemed to move as the girl walked, surrounding her in a cascade of golden flames. She wore no jewelry, but she didn't need to, for she was so beautiful that no one would have noticed if the dress she adorned was a burlap sack.

Her face was as pale as a porcelain doll; her lips a deep, seductive red. Those same lips were set in a natural pout, which gave character to her entire being. Her hair was so blonde; it was as if each strand were spun of the finest gold.

Although the rest of her was beautiful, the most intriguing part of her face was her eyes. They shone brilliant silver, like an ocean on a gloomy day, verging on a storm. But, those eyes had more depth the longer you gazed at them. They were eyes that hid, yet could reveal the truth in a moment's notice. Those same eyes that could instantly calm you, but had the potential to instill fear into the deepest, darkest parts of you. One look from her would tell you that she was not one to be trifled with.

Haku was not as distracted by Akane's beauty than everyone else. In fact, the mere sight of her made him uncomfortable. He didn't like having her around, especially with his newfound knowledge of a potential wedding. Haku knew that now that this girl was here, Chihiro would be on edge and everyone would be walking on eggshells, all doing their best to please Akane.

Both Haku and Chihiro were so distracted by their own thoughts, they hadn't realized that their hands were still intertwined. Even more so, they hadn't even realized that everyone in the room was bowing to Akane, except them. Haku subtly pulled at Chihiro's hand. Once she glanced over, Haku gave her a look as if telling her to follow his lead. He then let go of her hand, and put his knees to the ground, assuming the same position as the other workers. Chihiro immediately followed.

The only sound that could be heard in the room was the sound of Akane's feel slowly walking down the path made for her by the workers. Suddenly, the sound of her shoes against the wood finally stopped. The only things Haku and Chihiro could see in their current position were the wooden paneling beneath them, and a pair of feet standing right in front of them.

Chihiro began to get nervous. Maybe Akane had noticed they were slightly late in bowing to her. Had they offended her already? All she could do was stay there; completely frozen, taking comfort in the fact that whatever happened next, her best friend would be by her side.


	11. 11 - New Feelings, Part 2

When the silence was almost too much for Chihiro to bear, a soft, warm voice was heard throughout the lobby.

"Nigahayami Kohaku Nushi, Chihiro Megumi Ogino, you may rise."

_I thought my mother was the only other person who knew my middle name, _Chihiro thought. _How did Akane find out?_

Following Akane's orders, they both slowly began to stand. Finally seeing Akane up close and personal, Chihiro felt slightly less scared in her presence. Akane was shorter than herself, immediately making her less intimidating. She also had a slight smile on her face, exuding a feel of warmth.

_You can do this, _Chihiro thought. _Just stay calm and follow her orders._

"If you two could follow me, I think I'd like to be shown around the bathhouse." Akane said pleasantly.

Both Haku and Chihiro nodded their heads and took the lead, beginning the tour. Haku did all of the talking; Chihiro only standing by and watching as Haku handled the situation with eloquence and grace.

"—And this is your room, Akane." Haku concluded. They had finally made their way throughout the entire bathhouse; the kitchen, the main bath area, the private bathing quarters for their more 'secretive' guests, and they had even shown Akane the sleeping quarters for the female workers, if ever she needed to talk to someone right away.

Akane turned towards the two workers, standing side by side. She could tell immediately that Chihiro was frightened of her, and it amused her. She could also see by the look on his face that Haku had taken a protective role over the the girl. She thought she might take advantage of the situation.

"Thank you, Haku. But before you leave, I have one more request." She said, looking him in the eye.

"Yes, Miss Akane?" He said whilst hiding the doubt in his voice.

"Could you, go down to the kitchens and fetch my meal?" Akane asked politely.

He nodded curtly and turned to leave, but not before giving a reassuring look to Chihiro, who was obviously frightened at being alone with such a powerful figure. But, Haku had faith that Chihiro would do her best not to offend Akane in any way, especially after she had watched the way he had acted around the woman during the tour. This would be the test to see if she could manage it.

After he had reached the farthest point of the hallway, Akane turned to Chihiro. The toned she used was that of amusement.

"So, Miss Chihiro," She started off in a cheerful tone, "I noticed you wouldn't look at me throughout the entire duration of the tour. Is there something you wanted to say to me?"

If it were possible for Chihiro to get any paler, she certainly did at this inquiry. Without thinking, her defense mechanisms went into overdrive.

"No!" She said almost apologetically, "I mean no, ma'am. I meant no disrespect," She concluded, barely hiding her fear.

This made Akane laugh. "Hahaha! You're very interesting, Chihiro." She said with a smile. "Now, I don't know what you have heard about me, but you don't need to be so nervous in my presence. If there's something on your mind, you needn't fear that I'll strike you down." She concluded with a chuckle.

This sudden reassurance set Chihiro's racing heart at ease. After a slight pause, Chihiro began to speak again.

"Well, you see, ma'am… I couldn't help but wonder how you knew my full name. I had thought only my mother and I knew… so I was only curious-" her voice had begun to fade out, having realized how forward she was being.

"No, please!" This time, Akane interrupted. "It's only natural that you'd be curious! You see, Chihiro, you're quite famous, here in the Spirit World." This made Chihiro's eyes wide.

_Famous? _

Akane continued. "Judging by your confusion, I'm guessing you hadn't realized. After you discovered who exactly Haku was, 4 years ago, word spread like wildfire. Hundreds upon thousands of spirits outside these walls saw you as a model for courage and hope. Some even saw you as the very essence of love itself; commonly found inside us all."

_There's no way… 'essence of love itself'? _Chihiro was taken aback, but before she could voice her shock, Akane surprised her again.

"Your _biggest_ supporters were those in the popular sea-faring nation, Piscanem."

This was perhaps the biggest shocker that had come out of Akane's mouth. Chihiro knew that name sounded familiar… she just couldn't place it from where it came. Her mind suddenly switched to last night's episode out in the garden. Chihiro remembered Haku's story.

"—_I was born and raised in a land by the ocean, named Piscanem." _She recalled Haku voicing.

_Haku's own nation knows who I am?! This can't be… this isn't possible._

All of this information had finally taken effect on her. Chihiro's knees began to feel weak, and she had to lean on the wall behind her for support.

"Are you quite alright, Chihiro?" Akane voiced. The look in her eyes was a look of comfort, but there was something hidden inside those silver orbs. Chihiro couldn't recognize what she saw. She assumed it was the lighting, playing tricks on her.

"Yes, ma'am, I'm alright," She breathed. "It's just hard to believe that Haku's entire homeland knows I exist…" Chihiro concluded, unsure of how to feel. She had finally regained stability, and was standing on her own now.

Akane took notice of the sudden pink shade on her cheeks.

" _'—knows I exist'?!" _Akane playfully mocked. "Of _course _they do, Chihiro! To them, why, you're they're champion! You had found the lost son of the Nigahayami family!" Although the words she said were cheerful, something in her voice frightened Chihiro. With every passing word, she sounded more and more like she was angry about something.

Akane's voice suddenly turned serious, with large quantity of bitterness. "They had even wanted _you_ to be Haku's future wife." She concluded.

This was not the first time Chihiro felt like she could faint, but none of the other times were ever this severe. Her knees nearly buckled, and her face quickly turned bright, tomato red.

_Haku's WIFE?_ _He would never… __**I**__ could never… _Her mind suddenly flooded with emotions.

They were only friends, right? Sure, Chihiro had had her girlish fantasies after leaving the Spirit World, but she had known even back then that a situation where Haku and Chihiro were married could never be. Could it?

As these thoughts whirled through her like a tornado, Akane was thinking to herself, as well.

_Does this stupid mortal really not know of our engagement? _She thought. If she truly didn't, she needed to take this chance, or else things were bound to get complicated later on.

"Chihiro?" Akane asked meekly, trying her best to imitate a sweet, innocent girl. "Can I ask you something, from one girl to another?"

Poor Chihiro was far too distraught and distracted to catch on to Akane's plan.

Chihiro's mind was in a haze, but she put her own thoughts to the side and nodded quickly. "Absolutely, what's wrong?"

Akane took a deep breath before she began her speech.

"Well," She started off, faking bashfulness. "Haku and I have been engaged to be married since we were children, as arranged by our parents." She took hidden delight at Chihiro's immediately stunned gape.

"The only problem is," She continued, "He doesn't know about it yet." This, on its own, was enough to make Chihiro's head spin, but Akane wasn't finished. She had to deliver the finishing blow.

"I need your help in making him fall in love with me." She concluded, still enjoying every moment of saying the words that she knew would break the other girl's heart.

Instantaneously, the air seemed to turn into concrete as Chihiro took a moment to digest what had just been said. She felt so many emotions, many of them she had never experienced before. Confusion, she could label immediately.

But, no, there was something else inside her heart. This emotion was something she had never before experienced, but had heard described to her many times by those around her. Something so painful, far too painful to be ignored.

It suddenly dawned on her what this excruciating feeling was.

Heartbreak.

_I'm in love with Haku._

This realization was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Suddenly, all the pain she had felt whenever she dreamt of Haku, all the times she had looked lovingly to her stuffed dragon at home, all the tears she had cried over a pain in her heart she could not fulfill; all of them made sense. She was in love.

_Come on Chihiro, knock it off. You can't love Haku, he only sees you as a friend. I mean, come on, look how happy she is! _The voice in her head sounded so strong, but she felt so weak.

Chihiro thought about these things, looking over to the girl standing beside her. Her mouth was spread in an ear to ear grin; she was obviously overjoyed, probably from the engagement.

_They've been engaged since they were children… I can't. I can't love Haku. I could never bring myself to take away such an incredible feeling from someone else. _

She kept saying this over and over in her head, but it didn't lessen the dull ache she felt in her heart.

Chihiro finally realized she had been staring at the wooden flooring for the past few seconds.

Akane looked at her, entirely satisfied with her reaction. The manipulative woman's mouth had contorted into an evil grin, but the tears in Chihiro's eyes warped her vision to the point where she couldn't notice.

Slowly, one by one, tears began to fall as she stared at the wall with her mouth open. Her entire face was frozen in what anyone else could see was shock, pain, and sorrow.

Suddenly, from behind Akane, Chihiro could hear footsteps, and the sound of a food cart being pushed. She knew exactly who was there, even without seeing his face.

_Oh god, it can't be. Not now. _

She had previously been so caught up in her emotions, she had completely forgotten that Haku would be back at any second. Chihiro suddenly felt embarrassed.

She knew what she had to do; she had to get out. Now. But, before she could make her escape, she had to give Akane her answer.

"Akane." Chihiro said quickly, "I'll…" Her voice cracked ever so slightly. She coughed, clearing her throat. "I'll help you."

At this point, Chihiro was beginning to look rather ill. She managed to get out an "Excuse me…" before breaking out into a sprint, tears streaming, ignoring the flabbergasted looks from both Akane and Haku.

She had enough. All of this was too much for her to take in. Her feet ran as fast as they could; to where, she didn't know.

Akane gasped in synthetic surprise, loving every second of the commotion Chihiro was making. She stood where she was with the smirk on her lips, looking at the frantic Chihiro as she turned the corner of the hallway.

Haku stared at the running girl in absolute shock. He hadn't heard a word that transpired between the two girls, and Chihiro had been running so fast, he was blind to the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

He wanted more than anything to run and catch up with the girl and see what had happened, but he remembered what he was doing in the first place.

"Akane." He said sternly, forgetting his calm composure. "What happened to Chihiro?" His face was worried, but more than what was normal. Akane didn't like it, not one bit.

"Oh, I have no idea!" She responded, playing up her innocent appearance. "I asked her whether or not we could be friends, but something happened to her and she ran off!" She tried her best to fake a look of worry, but it was tinged with sarcasm.

Haku was much harder to fool than that pathetic display. He grit his teeth.

"I don't know if you were the cause of this," He said, barely managing to keep his voice at a calm volume, "But if you were, I guarantee, I will find out."

He turned and began a brisk walk down the hall; completely abandoning his food cart and Akane. This infuriated her. Not one person ever had the guts to speak to to her in that tone, especially not for the petty reason of some flimsy, mortal, weakling.

"You'll regret this, Nigahayami Kohaku Nushi." She swore as Haku faded further into the corridor.


End file.
